ON S. GEORGE THE PRIEST,
MONK OF VABRES IN AQUITAINE.
PERHAPS CENT. IX.
Notice from the proper Offices of the place.
George the Priest, Monk of Vabres in Aquitaine (S.)
G. H.
Vabres, to Gregory of Tours book 9 History
of the Franks ch. 9, Castrum
Vabrense, a small city of Gaul in
the Rodez province of Aquitaine,
which its increment; In the Vabrensian monastery under year 863 built, especially
owes to the celebrated there monastery Benedictine,
which Raymond the first Count of Toulouse
in year of Charles the Bald XXIII, of Christ DCCCLXII founded,
& in the following year Charles the Bald approved: whose
instruments brings forth & expounds William Catellus,
book 1 History of the Counts of Toulouse ch. 10.
Became famous this monastery with so much of religious discipline
fervor, that S. Gerald, Count of Orleans,
noble boys to it directed, that with the Fraternity
that under the regular rule the same boys would be imbued:
as wrote. S. Odo the Abbot of Cluny, book 2. Life of the said
Gerald the Count. John Pope XXII this monastery
into an Episcopate erected, & Gregory XIII the Monks
their customary habit into Canonical to change permitted.
[2] In this monastery lived once S. George the Monk;
whose memory to us from Aquitaine was sent. S. George lived as a monk,
Together with proper Lessons about S. Vincent of Agen
the Martyr, & ascribed day IX June, on which is venerated
the said S. Vincent, commonly in all Fasti inserted.
His various Acts already above we have illustrated: about S. George
the Monk, elsewhere nothing we have read, not even in the Fasti
Benedictine. Yet lest of whatever kind his memory
altogether escape our work, three small Lessons,
about him to us sent, here we apply, until
greater notice may be brought: are however of this kind:
[3] The most blessed George, of noble lineage sprung,
of the diocese of Rodez of Aquitaine province existed
sprung, holily educated, who in the time of childhood & adolescence
his to liberal arts' studies docile mind continually
bound: by which most fully informed, afterwards
incessantly was free for divine readings, so much that
than his even masters more learned was held. from the Conques monastery to Vabres translated. He was however
in voluntary of his flesh affliction & assiduous
maceration rigid & severe, in charity fervid,
sober & chaste, wise & eloquent, humble
& mild, with religious morals & letters well
instructed & adorned. In the College of Conques of the diocese
mentioned first by preceptors instructed,
& there to God serving, having attained the Priesthood's dignity,
monastic took up habit; religious, watchful
& devout, of heavenly with height of counsel providing,
in the Vabrensian monastery of the diocese before-said a Monk,
simple & provident, laudably he dwelt. In
which with fasts frequent, vigils long, prayers
opportune, frequent groans, long sighs
insisting, manfully & constantly for his & people's
faults indulgence he prayed. Among the Brethren
regularly living, sweet, affable, & joyful,
to those present & future of living form imitable
he left, usefully beginning, more usefully profiting,
most usefully persevering in the proposed of sanctity.
[4] What is alleged the Conques college, is most ancient
monastery; perhaps in the 9th century. but in the eighth century by the army
of Saracens utterly destroyed, & afterwards with Charlemagne
the Emperor commanding through Louis his son
from foundations honorably restored; where with arduous of religious
manner Monks lived, of good virtues
with increments studiously heaped, testifies the author
of the History of the Translation of the body of S. Faith the Martyr,
to be given on day VI October. Hence if to any conjecture
is given a place, we opine S. George, Monk &
Priest, from the Conques monastery with others delegated,
for founding the Vabrensian monastery by Raymond
constructed: & so him still in century IX,
near the end inclining, to Christ migrated.